Novices
by SoStillSoSilent
Summary: Before one was High Lord and the other was Administrator, before they even graduated, they were best friends. Even if one of them was hard working and well behaved and the other was a lazy trouble maker.
1. Akkarin

The Guildhall was full. The magicians had begun to gather in the hall early and were waiting for the Summer intake of Novices to begin. Outside the Administrator waited for the last novice to arrive. The rest had arrived early. He glanced along the line. There were ten new novices in total, when the last arrived. Four of whom were Kyralian, two Elyne, two Lonmar and two Vin, which was unusual. Two of the Kyralian novices were female, two male, one Elyne was female and the rest were all boys.

The clattering of carriage wheels could be heard in the background and a coach of House Velan rode through the guild gates. A youth clambered out the back alongside his parents who made their apologies to the Administrator. The youth joined the queue of novices at the back. The Administrator strode in the Guildhall, announced they were ready to begin and took his place as the novices entered the vast building.

Once inside, the Administrator's assistant Lord Doren, travelled down the line revealing the name, family, house and home country of each novice. Administrator Yelon then asked if anyone claimed guardianship and none did, which was usual in the first year and so the ceremony concluded.

The next day lessons began. The new novices arrived in class in their brown robes. The first lesson would have been Alchemy but they first needed to master control which meant normal lessons were suspended for two weeks. They bowed to Lord Margen before waiting for their control teachers to arrive, then they travelled to individual rooms to begin training.

The first Novice mastered control in three days. It normally took 1-2 weeks so Lord Margen was surprised to see the Kyralian boy there. Another Novice mastered it the next day. The first leant back in his seat whistling and just being generally irritating whereas the other sat studying a book as quietly as one can flick the pages. On the sixth day the boy who had first mastered control got out of his chair and walked over to sit beside the other boy.

"Hey, What are you reading?" He asked.

The other boy glanced up, looking surprised that he was being spoken to.

"Erm, Six Lessons For New Novices," The boy answered.

"That▓s a bit dull, isn▓t it?" The first boy asked.

"I guess, I▓ve read it twice already," The second replied.

"Wow. I read it once and gave up. What▓s your name?" He asked.  
"Lorlen. What▓s yours?"

"Akkarin." The first boy answered with a smile.

The pair chattered away for the rest of the day. When the Midday gong rang they walked to the Foodhall together and ate at the same table. The rest of their class joined them. The class seemed to get on well which was more than could be said for most of the classes at the guild.

The rest of the novices mastered Control within two weeks as normal. Then began the proper lessons. The novices' first proper lesson was Healing with a newly graduated Magician, Lady Vinara. She was a powerful Healer and had her name down to become the next Head of Healing.

She strode in early in her green robes and looked around at the class, counting only nine pupils. They waited an extra five minutes before hearing footsteps running toward the classroom. The door burst open and Akkarin skidded in, bowed to Lady Vinara and apologised for sleeping in before taking the seat next to Lorlen and noisily unpacking his notebook and pen.

Lorlen listened to the entire lesson with great interest and took down as many notes as he could. He had decided that he liked the healing lessons. He glanced over at his friend who was leant back in this chair with his feet on the desk and his notebook closed over and sighed. He couldn't help but think how much this boy was going to be a distraction. So why do I talk to him then? Duh, because he makes you laugh.

"Lorlen, What is the technical name for your kneecap?" Lady Vinara suddenly asked, cutting of his train of thought.

"Erm," Lorlen couldn▓t remember. "Cranium?"

"No, that▓s your head┘" Lady Vinara grinned. "Pay attention in class."

He wondered why she hadn't asked Akkarin. He was obviously not paying any attention at all. Lorlen realised. He is going to be the kind of person who gets away with EVERYTHING he does, isn't he?.

Lorlen watched Akkarin out of the corner of his eye. He did nothing all lesson. When the gong rang for Midday, Lady Vinara dismissed the class but kept Akkarin behind. Lorlen waited outside the classroom for his friend. Akkarin stepped out of the room with the unreadable expression he almost always uses on his face.

"Hey Lorlen, thanks for waiting." Akkarin stated, regarding his friend.

"No problem, what was that about?" Lorlen asked.

"Erm, she▓s a family friend, asked after my parents." Akkarin replied.

So that's why she didn't pick on him for not paying attention. The pair walked into the Foodhall and joined their class to eat.

"So how come she kept you back?" Marala, the Elyne girl asked.

Akkarin gave the same reply that he had to Lorlen. Lorlen had noticed how all three girls seemed to have taken a liking to Akkarin and probably by association to himself as well. Selene and Tani, the Kyralian girls had begun following Akkarin and Lorlen around, which annoyed Akkarin quite a bit.

When they had finished eating, Akkarin disappeared for about ten minutes as he had everyday. Lorlen had grown used to his friend being secretive about his life and anything to do with himself or his home and family. Lorlen had also grown used to the teasing the two were getting from some Fifth years, Garrel and Yikmo.

The next day they had their first Warrior skills lesson with another newly graduated Magician, Lord Balkan. Lorlen found this dull. He hated the idea of Magicians using their gift to harm each other and other people. Akkarin, however was writing down everything Lord Balkan said.

At Midday break, Garrel and Yikmo, sat at the next table to them. This worried Lorlen, but Akkarin didn't seem all too bothered by it. Akkarin took their plates over when they had finished and Lorlen sat talking to Tani. Akkarin came back and sat down quickly before taking a large mouthful of the water he had left on the table for Lorlen to mind. After he swallowed the drink he gasped, running out of the Foodhall. Lorlen ran after him, wondering what was the matter with his friend. Whne he caught up with Akkarin, he was gasping and sweating, leaning against a wall.

"Vin..ara..." He panted to Lorlen, before slipping down the wall and passing out on the floor. 


	2. New Feelings

Lorlen ran into the Healer's Quarters as fast as he could, tripping over his own feet on the way and falling flat on his face. With both arms grazed he sped into Lady Vinara's office, completely out of breath.

"Oh My! Lorlen! What happened to you? Oh now sit down and let me have a look." The Healer jumped up from her chair.

Unable to speak, Lorlen shook his head and beckoned for her to follow him. Obviously worried about the state of her pupil and what had caused him to get in such a state she ran after him.

They turned the corner to find Akkarin still lying on the ground, unconscious. Vinara gasped and ran to him, checking if he was breathing.

"Lorlen! What happened?" She gasped.

Regaining the ability to speak Lorlen answered her.

"I'm not sure. He had... a bit of water then ran out of the Foodhall... and just collapsed. He said... your name though so i panicked and... came to find you" He managed to pant out.

"This water, where is it?" She replied.

Lorlen came back a moment later with the water Akkarin had been drinking and watched as Lady Vinara sipped it and then spat it out.

"Lorlen, quickly! Help me get him to the Healer's Quarters!"

The pair struggled to the Healer's Quarters with the boy in their arms. Vinara lay Akkarin down on the bed and put her hands across his chest. She closed her eyes. Seconds later she removed her hands and Akkarin's eyelids flickered.

'You should let him rest. Come back in an hour or so, Lorlen.' Vinara stated.

'But what was wrong with him?' Lorlen couldn't help but ask.

'It is his place to tell you if he chooses to Lorlen, not mine,' the healer whispered as she ushered the novice out.

Sure enough about a hour later Lorlen returned.

'Shouldn't you be in class?' A croaky voice whispered from the bed as he walked in.

'Some things are more important.' Lorlen replied.

'Aww, cute. Seriously Lorlen, thank you.' Akkarin smiled.

'It was nothing, i couldn't have just left you there. What happened anyway?'

'I don't think they meant to do as much damage as they did. It was a joke. The water had sugar in it.'

'Sugar? What can that do?'

'I'm diabetic Lorlen. Idiot.' Akkarin rolled his eyes.

'Oh. Erm... sorry?'

'Don't be. That's how I know Vinara. She looked after me all these years.'

'Makes sense. I have to go.'

'Okay... I should be out by tonight.'

When Lorlen returned to his room, he found Akkarin waiting for him. The pair talked until lights out. The talked about family. For the first time Lorlen got a glimpse at Akkarin's life.

He was an only child and had grown up in Imardin. Occasionally in the summer, his father would take him to the seaside. He was a good swimmer and was unafraid of a challenge.

Lorlen lay awake that night. He couldn't stop thinking about his friend. More specifically about his eyes. It was they way they seemed so innocent even though Akkarin wasn't at all innocent. He missed him when he wasn't there. The feelings scared Lorlen. Alot.

Months passed. The Summer exams came and went. Akkarin came top of their class in everything with Lorlen slightly behind his friend. They had become inseperable over the months and the break seemed daunting to Lorlen. It was in their last class of the term, in an Alchemy class, that the Adminstrator came in and took Akkarin outside the room. Lorlen watched the two stroll in the gardens and saw Yelon asking Akkarin to sit down, before saying something to him and patting Akkarins shoulder. Tears streamed down Akkarin's face.

Lorlen did something he had no intention of doing and that he never did again. He stood up in his seat and ran out of class. Lord Margen yelled after him. He kept running. Administrator Yelon looked up at him as he ran over. He put his arms round Akkarin's shoulders and shushed him. Yelon stood up.

'Lorlen, isn't it?' He asked.

'Yes, Administrator.' Lorlen replied without glancing up.

'A word please.'

'Of course.'

Yelon took Lorlen aside.

'You left class? Well, I guess some things are more important, hey?'

'Yes sir, they are. What's wrong?'

'His parents had an... accident. Their carriage went off a cliff.'

'Were they hurt?'

'They found the bodies this morning.'

Lorlen gasped then ran back over to Akkarin.

'It'll be alright, I promise.' Lorlen whispered. 


End file.
